Madison — Gov. Scott Walker raised more of his campaign cash outside Wisconsin in July than opponent Mary Burke, but both candidates took in a majority of their contributions from in-state donors last month.

Walker's campaign raised 63% of his $1.2 million in donations from Wisconsin contributors in July while Burke raised 71% of her far smaller take of $500,000 from in-state contributors, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel analysis.

Over their overall campaigns, however, the Republican governor has still raised a majority of his contributions — just over $1 out of $2 — from out-of-state donors while Burke, his leading Democratic challenger, has raised only about $1 in $4 from outside Wisconsin. The analysis didn't include contributions to Walker in his 2010 election and 2012 recall races, which would have increased the out-of-state percentage for him.

At the end of July, Walker had a commanding advantage in cash on hand with more than $7 million in the bank as of the end of the month, according to a filing with state elections officials. Burke, a former Trek Bicycle Corp. executive, spent $1.3 million in July — about the same as Walker — but ended the period with $1.7 million in cash, according to her filing.

That continued a trend from past reports of Burke raising more than past challengers to incumbent governors in Wisconsin but far less than Walker.

The governor has raised $18.7 million for his re-election, or three times more than Burke, since July 2012, following his recall election victory the month before. Burke has raised $6 million since jumping into the governor's race last fall.

During the overall campaign, the governor has an edge with deep-pocketed donors, drawing 346 maximum donations of $10,000 to Burke's 87. Both candidates' numbers in that regard are eye-popping — only a decade ago it was routine for news media to catalog every single maximum donation made to a gubernatorial candidate because of their rarity at the time.

Walker received a total of $90,000 from members of the De Vos family in Michigan, which draws its wealth from consumer goods company Amway and supports taxpayer-funded private voucher school programs; $70,000 from the Cotton family of Michigan, which runs Meridian Health Plan; $70,000 from the Michels family, which runs Michels Corp. construction company of Brownsville and includes former GOP U.S. Senate candidate Tim Michel; and $40,000 from Texas billionaire Lee Bass and several family members.

But Burke has one wild card in her hand and it's still uncertain how she'll play it.

Burke, a millionaire, so far has put $430,500 of her own money into her race and received an additional $50,000 from other members of her family. She has said she will be putting more of her own wealth into her campaign before November but did not do so in July.

Burke has also received large donations from unions, including a $43,100 contribution last month from the United Auto Workers of Wisconsin Political Action Committee.

Also, a new filing shows the state teachers union on Friday funneled $1.3 million to the liberal Greater Wisconsin Committee. That group has long run ads backing Democrats for governor and has recently begun a run of ads against Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr., a conservative who serves as a Democrat.

Walker's campaign also spent an additional $17,600 in July on lawyers as the secret John Doe investigation into his 2012 recall race continues. In all, Walker has spent nearly $1.1 million on legal fees during this current John Doe probe and an earlier one.

In July, his campaign paid $16,900 to the Milwaukee law firm of Biskupic & Jacobs, run by former U.S. Attorneys Steven Biskupic and Michelle Jacobs. The campaign also paid $745 to Sidley Austin, a large Chicago law firm where defense attorney John Gallo is a partner.

Walker and Burke are in a tight race, with the two statistically tied in the last two polls from Marquette University Law School.

In a bitterly contested GOP primary, former state Sen. Van Wanggaard received $8,700 in contributions in July to support his campaign to return to the state Senate. Wanggaard spent $7,400 and ended the period with $86,100 in cash.

His opponent, investment banker Jonathan Steitz, raised $16,100 including a $7,600 personal loan to his campaign.

Steitz spent $20,000, more than he took in, and ended the period with $16,400 in cash.

About Jason Stein

Jason Stein covers the state Capitol and is the author with his colleague Patrick Marley of "More than They Bargained For: Scott Walker, Unions and the Fight for Wisconsin." His work has been recognized by journalism groups such as the American Society of News Editors, the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, and the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors.